Upside-downside aerosol dispensing valve



A. R. BRAUN UPSIDE-DOWNSIDE AEROSOL DISPENSING VALVE June 3, 1969 Filed June 14, 1967 1NVENT0R.

Arthur R. Braun Affys. v

A. R. BRAUN UPSIDE-DOWNSIDE AEROSOL DISPENSING VALVE June 3, 1969 Sli-eet 2 of'2 Filed June 14. 1967 INVENTOR. Arthur R. Braun M JZ@ #M Affys.

United States Patent O 3,447,551 UPSIDE-D OWNSIDE AEROSOL DISPENSING VALVE Arthur R. Braun, 209 E. Mildred St., Cary, Ill. 60013 Filed June 14, 1967, Ser. No. 646,003 Int. Cl. F16k 15/18, 31/14; B65d 83/14 U.S. Cl. 137-43 9 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An aerosol valve which can be used upside or downside so that the aerosol can to which it is afiixed can be used upside down or downside up. The valve has a ball which is movable, by gravity, within a valve stem cavity to control the flow of product out of the two dispensing ports, one on the side and one on the bottom of the valve body.

' corrosion or blocking or misalignment making the valve inoperative. They are relatively expensive and difiicult to manufacture and assemble. They also frequently require the modification of existing canning apparatus. In operation, the spray is frequently intermittent which, in itself, is objectionable to the consumer. The intermittent spray also causes loss of propellant. Since propellant is necessary to fully dispense all of the packaged product, any loss thereof will be a loss of product which is obviously very undesirable.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved upside-downside aerosol valve.

Another object is to provide a valve of the above characteristics which avoids intermittent spray patterns.

Still another object is to provide an upside-downside valve wherein loss of propellant is avoided.

A further object is to provide an upside-downside valve which provides better emptying of the can than heretofore possible.

A still further object is to provide a valve of the above character which is less subject to lbreakdown 'due to corrosion, blocking and misalignment of its movable parts.

Another object is to provide an upside-downside valve which is more easily manufactured than heretofore possible.

Another object is to provide an upside-downside valve which may be easily and economically molded.

Another object is to provide an upside-downside valve which, but for its valve body, uses standard, readily available components.

Another object is to provide an upside-downside valve which can be utilized with standard aerosol cans.

Another object is to provide an upside-downside valve, which because of its small concentric construction can even be used in a small mouth aerosol container such as a little bottle.

Another object is to provide an upside-downside valve which can be inserted and crimped in the valve opening of a standard aerosol can utilizing existing packaging machinery.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

Broadly, the new aerosol valve comprises a unique valve body having a valve stem cavity which is in communication with a central orifice. At least one and preferably two or three dispensing chambers are arranged about the central orifice, through -which the product flows from a dip tube affixed to the lower end of the valve body to the valve stern. A ball, cylinder or disk seats in the upper end of the central orifice and is retained iixedly seated therein, by means of a valve stem biasing means in the form of a spring, to prevent product flow out of this end of the central orifice. A bypass orifice is formed in the valve body in communication with the central orifice and preferably is as closely adjacent to the upper end of the central orice as practical so that it is positioned adjacent the top of the can when the valve is afiixed to it. A seeond ball is freely retained within the central orifice and normally seats upon a shoulder therein when the can is in an upright position to block the central orifice 4so as to cause the product to flow through the dispensing chambers directly from the dip tube. When the can is sufiiciently tilted, or inverted, the second ball moves, by gravity, to a position within the central orifice so that the product can fiow through the bypass orifice to the dispensing chambers.

Accordingly, when the can is in an upright position and the valve stem operated to dispense the product, the product is caused to flow through the dip tube, the dispensing chambers, through the dispensing port in the valve stem and out of its end. When the can is inverted or `sufficiently tilted, the ball within the central orifice moves, by gravity, to unseat it from the lower end of the central orifice Iso that Vthe product now is permitted to ow through the bypass orifice to the dispensing chambers, to the dispensing port in the valve stem and out of its end. With this arrangement, substantially complete emptying of the can is enabled.

The valve stem cavity, the central orifice, the dispensing chambers and the bypass orice all can be easily molded as a unitary valve body. Furthermore, the valve stem biasing spring and the balls, cylinder or disk and ball retained within the valve body are standard, readily available elements, so that the valve can be easily and inexpensively manufactured. Assembly is also easily accomplished since it is only necessary to drop the two into the valve body, place the spring under the valve stem and 'assemble the latter in the valve stem cavity in the valve body. In its assembled state, itis small and concentric and can fit into small mouth containers.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding ofthe nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectionalized, exploded side plan view of an anyside-up aerosol valve, exemplary of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3 3 of FIG. l;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 5 is a partial side plan view of an aerosol can, partially broken away and sectionalized, illustrating the manner in which the anyside-up aerosol valve of the present invention is affixed to a can and further illustrating the operative position of the ball within the central orifice when the can is in an upright position; and

FIGURE 6 is a similar view of a can, illustrating the position of the ball within the central orilice when the can is in an inverted position.

'Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown an anyside-up valve comprising a valve body 12 having a tubular valve stem 14 in a valve stem biasing means 16 of standard design therein. The valve body 12, in accordance with this invention, is molded as one piece, preferably of any suitable plastic material, such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, and polyester resin. The valve body 12 has an enlarged upper portion 18 which is crimped within a valve housing 20, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Sealing means such an annular gasket 22 for an on'iice port 24 formed in the valve stem 14 is xedly retained between the top end of the valve body 12 and the underside of the top of the valve lhousing 20. The lower side of the valve stem 14 may have a beveled outwardly projecting step 26 formed on it, to assist in centering the valve stem biasing means 16, which may be a helical spring, as shown.

A valve stem cavity 28 for the valve stem 14 is substantially larger in diameter than the end portion 30 thereof so that any product within the valve stem cavity can flow around the end portion 30 to and out of the dispensing port 24 When the valve stem is depressed. A central orifice 32 is in communication with the valve stem cavity 28 and progressively decreases in diameter so as to rform a pair of annular shoulders 34 and 36 for a pair of balls 38 and 40. The diameter of the ball 38 (or cylinder or disk) substantially corresponds to the diameter of the upper end of the central orifice 32 and is adapted to seat on the shoulder 34 so as to seal the upper open-end of the central orifice. As can be best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the valve stem biasing means 16 seats atop the ball 38 so as to iixedly hold it in position.

The diameter of the ball 40 substantially corresponds to the diameter of the intermediate portion of the central orice 32 and is adapted to seat on the shoulder 36 when v the can, such as the can 42, to which the valve 10 is aixed, is in an upright position, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The ball also is adapted to move, by gravity, so as to be unseated from the shoulder 36 when the can is tilted or inverted.

A bypass orice 44 is formed in the valve body 12, preferably perpendicular to and in communication with the central orifice 32. The bypass orice 44 also is preferably formed as closely adjacent to the upper end of the central orice as possible, without being blocked by the ball 40 when the can is inverted, so that the bypass orice is as near as possible to the top of the valve housing 20 when the valve 10 is affixed to a can. It is apparent that the turret 46 of the valve housing 20 advantageously may be extended so that the bypass oriiice 44 is even closer to the top of the can. In either case, substantially complete emptying of the can is enabled, as explained more fully below.

The central orice 32 extends into a dispersion cavity 48 from which a number, 3 as illustrated, of dispensing chambers 50-52 extend. The dispensing chambers 50-52 are arcuate in shape and extend through the valve body 12 to the valve stem cavity 28, in substantially radial parallel relation to the central orifice 32. A dip tube cavity 54 is formed in the lower end of the valve body 12, for receiving the end of a dip tube 56. The end of the valve body 12 also could be formed to receive the end of the dip tube about it, if desired. As illustrated (FIG. 6), the lower end of the dip tube extends to the bottom of the can.

To operate the valve 10 when the aerosol container into which it has been crimped is held in an upright position, the user merely depresses the valve stem 14, in the usual fashion. Such depression causes the orice port 24 to clear the sealing means 22 and the packaged product under pressure of the propellant is thereby released. It

flows upwardly through the dip tube 56, and directly into the dispersion cavity 48 and then to the dispensing chambers 50-52 and into the valve stem cavity 28, then through the orifice portion 24 into the valve stem cavity 28, then through the orifice portion 24 into the tubular valve stem 14. As such ow occurs, the ball 40, by its own `weight and the downwardly exerted force of the propellant and/or the packaged product, is seated on the shoulder 36 to seal the lower end of the central orifice 32 and the bypass orice 44. In essence, the valve 10 in this position, dispenses the product in substantially the same manner as an ordinary aerosol valve.

However, when the packaged product is dispensed with the aerosol container in an inverted position, as shown in FIG. 6, the ball 40 drops, under its own weight, to the top of the central orifice 32, against the ball 38. With the ball 40 in this position, the packaged product can flow freely through the bypass orifice 44 into the dispersion cavity 48, through the dispensing chambers Sil-52, through the valve stem cavity 28, through the orifice port 24, into the tubular stem 14. Should any propellant ow through the dip tube 58, it intermixes with the product being dispensed and actually assists in dispensing of said product. Thus, there is no loss of propellant without product.

Since the dispensing chambers 50-52 and the bypass orice 44 are always widely open -regardless of the position of the aerosol container, the product and propellant can free pass through them. There is no uttering because -ball 40 drops into the circular depression 64 beneath bypass orice 44 out of the path of flow of the product when the valve is in an inverted position as in FIG. 6. This was heretofore a great problem in such aerosol valves.

As indicated above, the bypass orifice 44 is in close proximity to the top of the valve housing 20. Therefore, no matter how the user uses the can there will be virtually complete emptying of the can. The dip tube S6 will provide such complete emptying if the can is used in an upright position. If the can is used in an inverted position, the product will ow to the top of the can where it flows through the bypass orice 44 so long as the depth of the product exceeds the distance between the top of the valve housing 20 and the bypass orifice 44. So, by designing the bypass orice 44 in close proximity to the valve housing, or by extending the turret of the valve housing so as to bring the bypass oriiice closer to the top of the can, substantially complete emptying is therefore effected. Thus, the valve is free of dependence upon positioning during use to effect excellent emptying.

It might be noted that the internal construction of the valve body 12 may be easily injection molded, with minimum expenditure for tooling and/ or subsequent machining or drilling. Furthermore, the need for additional structural elements such as a slide ring or an enlarged ring receiving shoulder is avoided. The valve stem 14 and the valve stem biasing means 16 are of standard construction so that those presently available may be used. The iballs 38 and 40 both are of a standard, readily available diameter so that they may be easily and inexpensively acquired. It is therefore apparent that the various elements of the valve 10 are easily obtained and/ or manufactured.

Assembly is accomplished readily, by simply first dropping the ball 40 into the central orifice 32. Next, the ball 38 is dropped into and seated upon the shoulder 34. The one end of the valve stem biasing means 16 is seated atop the ball 38 and its other end is abutted against the lower end of the valve stem 14, and the valve afxed within the can by crimping the valve housing about its enlarged upper end portion 18, in the Well-known fashion. The sealing means 22 is, of course, aixed therein, before crimping.

It might be noted that numerous modifications of the valve can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the ball 38 can be replaced with a disk or the like which is adapted to seat upon the shoulder 38 to seal the upper end of the central oriice 32. It is also unnecessary that the valve stem 14 be of the hollow type shown. It could easily be a solid mushroomshaped valve of the type well known in the art. Also, a valve button can be aixed to the valve stem 14, if desired.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are eiciently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed is:

1. A valve comprising a valve housing having a tubular valve body afrixed thereon, a valve stem cavity within said valve tbody, a valve stem reciprocally operable within said valve stem cavity, valve stem biasing means to bias said stem outwardly of said valve body, and valve sealing means mounted between said valve housing and said valve body, said sealing means being positioned to seal said valve when said valve stem is biased against said sealing means, a central orifice extending through said valve body and in communication with said valve stem cavity, sealing means ixedly retained within said valve body for sealing the upper end of said central oriiice, gravity operated means normally sealing the lower end of said central orifice when said valve is in an upright position, a bypass orifice in communication with said central orifice, and at least one dispensing chamber extending through said valve body and in communication with said valve stem cavity, said gravity operated means preventing ow through said bypass chamber and into said dispensing chamber when said valve is in an upright position and when said valve is inverted said gravity operated means freely moving to permit ow through said bypass chamber and into said dispensing chamber.

2. The valve of claim 1 wherein said gravity operated means comprises a ball.

3. The valve of claim 1 wherein said sealing means comprises a ball.

4. The valve of claim 3 wherein said ball is fixedly retained in position by said biasing means.

5. The valve of claim 1 further including a dip tube aixed to the lower end of said valve body.

6. The valve of claim 1 wherein said valve stem cavity is substantially larger in size than said valve stem whereby a product can ow about said valve stem.

7. The valve of claim 1 including a plurality of said dispensing chambers, each being substantially arcuate in shape and extending radially in spaced relation about said central orice and substantially parallel thereto.

8. The valve of claim 1 wherein said central orifice progressively decreases in diameter from the top to the :bottom thereof so as to form at a pair of shoulders, and wherein said gravity operated lmeans comprises a ball adapted to seat on one of said shoulders and said sealing means comprises a ball adapted to seat on the other one of said shoulders.

9. The valve of claim 8 wherein the structure of the valve body and its various elements are concentrically arranged to enable use upon a small mouth container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,793,794 5/ 1957 Samuel 222-402.19 2,904,229. 9/1959 Samuel 137-38 X 2,924,360 2/1960 Samuel Z22-402.19 2,968,428 1/1961 Samuel 137-38 X 3,315,693 4/1967 Braun 137-43 3,372,845 3/1968 Frangos Z22-402.19 X

CLARENCE R. GORDON, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

